Titanfall: A Game Changer?

Titanfall is the biggest launch title to date on the Xbox One.  But is it a game changer.  I believe it is.  Here is why.

First, so many people discuss this concept of a game changer without defining what a game changer is. Improve or innovating on game play mechanics is essential to the progress of the games medium.  And lots of games have mechanics that provide significant improvements.  While essential, I don't believe improving gameplay mechanics is equivalent to a game changer.  The control scheme of COD:MW has become the standard control scheme in FPSers.  Most believe it offered an improved gameplay mechanic, but that is not what made COD:MW a game changer.  Gears of War made significant game play improvements to the 3rd person shooter genre.  But it wasn't a game changer in a broader sense.

I believe a game changer is a game that fundamentally changes how game developers approach game development.  A game changer makes studios alter their develop plans, makes them incorporate elements of the game into the development process.  After Halo:CE studios scraped games and focused on chasing the console FPS gold.  After Halo 2 studies were REQUIRED to include online MP.  After COD:MW every FPS added (maybe crammed is a better word) a progression system their FPS.  That is what made those games game changers.  They launched and studios HAD to incorporate the changes those games presented.

So does Titanfall have a feature or features that will make studios alter their development plans.  It definitely has gameplay elements that move the genre forward.  Games will certainly chase after the parkour element Titanfall has introduced and may even try to give their take on the mech vs. pilot gameplay element.  

But those are game play elements.  I believe Titanfall's real game changer is the introduction of burn cards.  I can see developers wracking their collective brains to figure out new ways to use playable cards as a the basis of the games power up system.  Here is one quick example.

Imagine a FPS where instead of XP you earn gold.  Gold that can be spent on packs of cards.  What you get in a pack is completely random but can include things like incendiary ammo, health boosts, Health buffs for teammates etc... I'm not a game designer, but even to me the potential seems endless.

Moreover,  I could see the concept expanding beyond FPSers.  I could see action adventure games basing the power up system on playable cards.

It will obviously be years before we know if studios incorporate burn cards or similar card based elements into their games.  But again, the possibilities seem endless and seemingly open the door for fundamental gameplay advances in the shooter genre and others.  In my opinion, that is a game changer!!